High resolution graphics are used in a variety of applications, for example in medical imagining, computer workstations, HDTV, game consoles and systems, computer-aided-design systems, and the like. High resolution imaging systems typically employ a graphics subsystem to produce images and a rendering device, such as a high resolution monitor, to display the GPU-generated images. The interconnection between the graphics subsystem and the rendering device plays an important role in the performance of the graphics system, as the interconnection must be able to communicate the graphics data at a sufficient rate (i.e., have a sufficient operating bandwidth) in order for the GPU-generated graphics to be rendered in the highest possible resolution on the monitor.
The Digital Visual Interface Specification, Revision 1.0 (referred to herein as the DVI standard, herein incorporated by reference), published by the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG) represents one standard for interconnecting a graphics subsystem to a DVI-compliant monitor. The DVI standard is configurable in either a single-link mode or a dual-link mode, each of which includes a plurality of bit stream paths (data channels) that are synchronized to a clock signal (bit clock). Each data channel is operable to receive an 8-bit pixel data of one of red, green or blue color components, the DVI operable to accept a 24-bit wide RGB pixel packet.
A graphics system employing a DVI link between the graphics subsystem and a monitor will perform optimally when the monitor is DVI-compliant. However, it may be desirable to provide high resolution graphics to a monitor which is not DVI-compliant, e.g., a monitor which is operable to read high resolution pixel data, albeit in a format which is not compliant with the DVI pixel format, i.e., a pixel format which is not 8-bit RGB, for example. Furthermore, use of the pre-existing DVI link architecture to provide an interconnection between the graphics subsystem and the non-compliant DVI monitor would be advantageous to avoid re-design of the interconnect system.
Accordingly, systems and methods are needed for communicating image data across a DVI link to a non-compliant DVI monitor.